Steel for musical instruments



June 1, 1937. H. c. CARTER STEEL FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed June 7, 1935 INVENTOR.

' its hingedly mounted finger holder Patented June 1, 1937 UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,082,683 STEEL Foa MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Henry C. Carter, Dearborn, Mich. Application June '7, 1935, Serial No. 25,371

18 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements on a member popularly termed as a steel to be operated by the fingers of the hand in contact with the strings of musical instruments, and is simif lar to that disclosed in my U. S. Letters Patent,

Serial No. 1,909,456, issued May 16, 1933; and the objects of my invention are, first, to provide a iingering steel for musical instruments which is adapted to be operated through an angular movement and is further provided with a hinged mounting for the finger holder; second, to pro vide a fingering steel for musical instruments having a hinged or swivelly mounted spring holder; third, to provide a lingering steel for musical instruments having a finger holder with means for permitting ready assembly andremoval of the finger holder, together with retaining means therefor; fourth, to provide a nngering steel for musical instruments having a connection mechanism between it and the ngers of the hand of the operator to provide universal motion characteristics; fifth, to provide a lingering steel for musical instruments having depressed and angular surfaces for engaging the D thumb and index fingers of the operator to facilitate gripping and operation of the steel; sixth, to provide a fingering steel having a finger holder sldably mounted on a pivotally mounted meniber which in turn is rotatably mounted; and

seventh, to provide a finger holder for a steel for musical instruments with a resilient retainer member adapted to be locked in its retaining position by its resilient characteristics.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure 1 is a plan View of a musical instrument such as a guitar disclosing the application and operation o1" the fingering steel therewith; Fig. 2, a plan view of the fingering steel together with support mechanism, said figure being drawn to an enlarged scale; Fig. 3, a side View of the fingering steel together with its swivelly mounted finger holder drawn to a scale showing its actual size; Fig, li, an end View of the fingering steel as disclosed in Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a sectional view through the fingering steel assembly as disclosed in Fig. 2, taken on the line 5-5; Fig. 6, a plan view of the finger holder and its supporting mechanism together with a partial view of the oscillating housing for supporting same; Fig. '7, a sectional view of the mechanism disclosed in Fig. 6, said sectional View being taken on the line 1 1, Fig. 6; Fig. 8, a plan view of the housing for supporting the finger holder; Fig. 9, a side view of the housing disclosed in Fig. 8; Fig. 10, an end View of the housing disclosed in Fig. 9; Fig. 11, a side view of the hinged spring holder; Fig, l2, an end view of the hinged spring holder disclosed in Fig. 11; Fig. 13, a plan view of the washer member for anchoring one end of the spring for actuating the swivelly mounted mechanism for supporting the finger holder; and Fig. i4, a partial sectional View of the fingering steel taken on the line III-I4, Fig. 3.

Similar numerals refer to throughout the several views.

The fingering steel or bar I which will be hereinafter referred to as the steel, is provided with the opening or bore 2 which extends from the upper face of the steel I and having a length extending for a partial depth of the steel I and is adapted to receive the washer or collar 3 therein, the collar 3 being suitably anchored therein as by press fit, by threading, or by similar means, the collar 3 being provided with a plurality of openings or slots 4 around its periphery for receiving the extension or end 5 of the resilient or spring member Ii which is assembled in the bore 2.

The collar 3 is further provided with the threaded hole or opening 1 which is adapted to receive a threaded end of the screw 8 which is provided with the head 9 having the slot I0 for engaging a screw driver or similar tool, the under or lower portion of the head 9 being provided with the conical surface II which is adapted to extend within the central hole or opening I2 of the collar or housing I3 which is swivelly or rotatably mounted in the bore I4 which connects with the bore 2 of the lingering steel I, the collar I3 having its wall portion at its upper end folded or rounded over to extend concentrically within the outside wall portion of the collar I3 and to provide a rounded or curved surface for engaging the conical surface I I of the screw 8.

The ring or collar member I5 is assembled in the bottom of the bore I4 as by a press fit and is preferably constructed of brass, bronze or similar material which will provide a bearing surface for engaging the inner end surface of the collar I3 as it swivelly operates, said collar I3 being preferably formed of a harder material, such as steel or similar material.

The steel I is provide-d with an upstanding or extension portion I6 at its upper side, said extension portion I6 extending above the upper surface I1, said extension portion being provided with a semi-circular bore or recess I8 which is of a slightly greater diameter than the outside disimilar parts ameter of the collar I3, thus providing an operating space or clearance I9 therebetween. The extension portion I6 extends around the collar I3 at each side to points located substantially oplposite one another' and positioned in a plane extending at right angles to the longitudinal sides of the steel I, thus providing the stop or edge surfaces 20 which are adapted to engage the end portions of the side walls of the spring holder 21 and thus provides means for limiting the swivel or rotatable movement of the collar I3 and its sup-- ported mechanism, the collar I3, together with its supported mechanism being disclosed a slight distance away from one of the stop surfaces 2i) 2 in order to more readily disclose the supporting mechanism on the collar I3, it being un.l derstood that the collar I3, together with its support mechanism, may be actuated by the spring 6 further to the right or left, when assembled for the collar I3 with a slot 23 at one of its sides, said slot 23 extending between the side walls of the boss through and is mounted in the of the boss portion 22, the rivet 24 extendingr through the slot 23, the slot 23 in the boss portion 22 permitting the upper or extension portion o1' 6 to be provided with the eye anchors the upper end of the spring 6 against rotative movement within the collar I3. The spring holder or frame member 21 is provided with the side portions 28 which are provided with the holes 28 extending therethrough and forming a bear ing on the rivet 24, thus providing a hinged, pivotal, or swivel support for the spring holder or frame member 21.

It is to be noted that the side portions 28 of the spring holder 21 will be provided with the curved or radial surfaces 30 which permit the spring holder 21 and its supporting mechansim its end wall portion 32 provided on its inner side with the boss 33 which is preferably formed by displacing a portion of the end wall portion 32 thus leaving the depression 34 in the outer end surface thereof.

The housing 35 and is located at its other end by the boss 33 of the spring holder 21, the spring 42 being further located and retained in position by the side wall portions,

side Wall portions 3B, 31 and 38 of the housing 35. It will thus be noted that the spring 42 will exert a pressure against the extension portion 4I to constantly urge the housing 35 slidably and inwardly toward the collar- 23 and upon the spring holder 21. The upper wall portion 38 of the houring 35 is extended at each of its sides to form the bosses 43 having the bore or hole 44 extending therethrough in which is supported the pin 45 and on which is pivotally mounted and supported the extension portion 48 of the clip o1' retainer member 41 which is adapted to retain and hold the linger holder 48 on the housing 35. The housing 35 is provided with the upwardly extending or inturned portions 49 which are prw vided with the curved surfaces 50 which act catch surfaces for engaging similar shaped surfaces on the portion 5I of the finger holder 48, said portion 5I extending for a distance substantially equal or slightly greater than the over all width of the extension portions 49 oi the housing 35.

The ringer holder 48 is thus mounted on the upper wall portions 38 of the housing 35 with its portion 5I underneath the overhanging or inturned extension portions 49 of the housing 35 and is retained in its assembled position by the clip or retainer member 41 which may be pivotally moved from its open position as indicated by the full lines in Fig. 7, to its closed position as indicated by the dotted lines 52 in Fig. '7 in which the resilient extension or handle portion 53 of the retainer member 41 resiliently engages the outer surface of the extension portion 4I of the housing 35, thus holding and retaining the finger holder 48 in a xed position on the housing 35 and at the same time permits the retainer member 41 to be easily and readily moved about its pivot to an open position to enable the nger holder 48 to be installed or removed.

The finger holder 48 is provided with a split construction having overlapping ends 54 and providing the opening 55 in which extends and fits the index finger of the musician or operator, the side wall portions of the nger holder 48 thus having resilient characteristics to cause the finger holder 48 to grip the finger of the musician or operator, they finger holder 48 being preferably constructed of light Celluloid or similar material.

The steel I will be provided at one of its ends with the semi-circular surface 66 and the angular surface 56 which will extend upwardly and inwardly toward the nger holder 48, the steel I being further provided with the curved or dea surface for being contacted by the thumb of the operator, the surface 51 being indicated on the proper side for the use of the steel I when it is being operated on the left hand of the musician or operator and in the event that the steel I is to be used by a musician or operator upon his right hand the curved surface 51 will be provided upon the opposite side of the steel I.

Fig 1 discloses the musical instrument assembly A for which my ngering steel is especially adapted, the banjo or guitar assembly A being provided with a plurality of strings 58, the instrument shown in Fig. 1 being disclosed as of guitar construction having the fretted neck 59 against which the strings 58 may be stopped or contacted by the left hand, which is indicated at 6I), of the musician or operator, the right hand of the musician or operator being indicated at 6I for 20 positions of the steel picking or plucking the strings 58, the right hand 6I of the musician or operator conveniently holding the plectrum or pick 62 for engaging the strings 58.

In operation the inde-x finger of the left hand 60 of the musician or operator will be extended through the iinger holder 48 and the thumb of the left hand of the musician or operator will be pressed against the curved surface 51 of the steel I and with the hand of the second finger engaging the rounded or curved end surface 63 of the steel I, the steel I may be pressed across and in contact with any desired number of the plurality of strings 58 to develop different octave tones or notes at different intervals in the upper or lower keys of the fretted neck, the steel I being indicated at a point intermediate the ends of the fretted neck 59, the steel I being further indicated by the doted lines 64 and '65 to indicate the various I for developing different octaves or notes. The spring 6 will tend to maintain the collar I3 and its supported mechanism adjacent one of the stop surfaces 20 of the steel I and the housing 35 slidably mounted on the spring holder 21 against the tension of the spring 42, together with the hinged mounting of the spring holder 21 and its supporting mechanism on the collar I3 will permit the steel I to be quickly shifted through its proper range of angular movement with respect to any desired set of strings to be engaged by the steel I by means of a thumb and linger manipulation of the steel I without fatiguing the wrist or iinger of the musician or operator and providing free and universal move'- ment of the steel I -relative to the fingers and hand of the musician or operator.

The assembly of the extension portion 5 of the spring 6 in the various slots or openings 4 of the washer or collar 3, which is secured in the bore 2 of the steel I, will provide various adjusted tensions or resistances of the spring 5 to the actuation of the collar I3 in accordance with the preference of the musician or operator.

I claim:

l. In a steel for musical instruments, the combination of a bar provided with a bore together with an extension portion, a washer mounted in said bore and provided with a plurality of openings, a collar swivelly mounted in said bore and provided with a boss portion together with an opening having a curved surface, a screw connected with said washer and having a head engaging the curved surface of said collar, a resilient member mounted in said bore of said bar and having one of its ends engaging one of said openings of said washer, said resilient member having an end extending within said boss portion of said collar, said resilient member being adapted to swivelly move said boss portion of said collar toward a surface of said extension portion of said bar, a pin member mounted in said boss portion of said collar and engaging said end of said resilient member extending within said boss portion of said collar, a holder member pivotally supported on said pin member, a housing slidably mounted on said holder member, a second resilient member supported by said. holder member and actuating said housing in its slidable movement, a retainer member pivotally supported on said housing, and a finger holder retained on said housing and secured by said retainer member.

2. In a steel for musical instruments, the combination of a bar, a member swivelly mounted on said bar and adapted to swivel about an axis substantially transverse to said bar, a holder member pivotally mounted on said member, a iinger holder slidably mounted on said holder member, and resilient means supported on said holder member and actuating said linger holder in its slidable movement.

3. Ina steel for musical instruments, a bar member provided with an angular surface at its end for facilitating the gripping of said bar by the fingers of the musician, said angular surface extending upwardly and inwardly from the end of said bar, said bar being further provided with a curved surface on its side surface, said curved surface .joining said angular surface.

4. Ina steel for musical instruments, the combination of a bar member provided with an angular surface at its end for facilitating the gripping of said bar by the fingers of the musician, said angular surface extending upwardly and inwardly from the end of said bar, said bar being further provided with a curved surface on its side surface, said curved surface joining said angular surface, and a finger holder movably supported on said bar.

5. In a steel for musical instruments, the combination of a bar provided with a bore, a washer member secured in said bore and provided with a plurality of openings, a finger holder supporting mechanism swivelly mounted in said bore, a screw for retaining said finger holder supporting mechanism and engaging said washer member, a resilient member for actuating said finger holder supporting mechanism in its swivel movement, said resilient member having an end engaging one of said openings of said washer meinber, and a ringer holder slidably mounted on said finger holder supporting mechanism.

6. In a steel for musical instruments, the combination of a bar provided with a bore, a washer member secured in said bore and provided with a plurality of openings, a finger holder supporting mechanism swivelly mounted in said bore, ra holder member pivotally mounted on said finger holder supporting mechanism, a screw for retaining said finger anism and engaging said Washer member, a resilient member for actuating said finger holder supporting mechanism in its swivel movement, said resilient member having an end engaging one of saidopenings of said washer member, and a finger holder slidably mounted on said holder member.

7. In a steel for musical instruments, the combination of a bar provided with a bore, a collar swivelly retained in said bore, a washer member mounted in said bore and forming a bearing member for engaging said collar, a spring for actuating said collar in its swivel movement, said spring being anchored at one of its ends, said spring being further connected at the other of its ends withsaid collar, a holder member pivotally supported on said collar, and a finger member slidably mounted on said holder member.

8. In a steel for musical instruments, the combination of a bar provided with a bore, a collar swivelly mounted in said bore and provided with a boss portion, resilient means for actuating said collar in its swivel movement and having an end secured within said boss portion of said collar, a holder member pivotally supported by said boss portion of said collar, and a finger holder slidably mounted on said holder member.

9. In a steel for musical instruments, the combination of a bar provided with a bore, a collar swivelly mounted in said bore and provided with holder supporting mech Cil a bossportion, a pin member mounted in said boss portion of said collar, resilient means for actuating said collar in its swivel movement and finger holder slidably mounted on said holder member.

10. In a steel for musical instruments, the combination of a bar collar swivelly mounted in said bore and adapted movement, holder member.

1l. In a. steel for musical instruments, the combination of a bar provided with a bore, a collar swivelly mounted in said bore and adapted to engage portions of said bar, a resilient member for actuating said collar in its swivel movement,

actuating said housing in its slidable movement, and a finger holder mounted on said holder member.

12. In a. steel for combination of a. bar

being engaged by said resilient linger holder supported on said member.

member, and a U shaped holder 14. In a steel for musical instruments, the combination of a bar, a

16. In a combination said supporting surface and engaging said lug portions of said housing, s-aid retained by said clip member.

17. In a steel nger holder being sitely disposed lug portions, and a retainer member pivotally mounted on said holder member and engaging said finger holder and said housing, said nger holder having a curved surface adapted to fit and engage with said inturned lug portion of said housing, said linger holder having split wall portions, said split Wall portions having overlapping ends.

HENRY C. CARTER.l

Ll (l 

